CSFF director Russell Field on the opening night pick: “There is something refreshing about Ruth Lovelace. The image of a woman succeeding in sport, in a man’s world, has become somewhat ubiquitous. Women still face many challenges in sport – just looking at the sports pages of most newspapers and websites would lead you to believe that few women even play sport. Yet the coverage of the Olympics and leagues like the WNBA have made women’s sport increasingly mainstream. But “Coach Love” isn’t blazing a trail for female athletes; she’s coaching men’s sport and her sex couldn’t seem less important. Not when the rivals at Lincoln High stand in the way of a city championship. And, no doubt, the opportunity to screen this film along with the trailer for the new documentary about Chris Bosh, First Ink, made this a perfect fit for our opening night.”

Interviews: Co-director Matt O’Neill is available in-person on Friday, October 2 (late afternoon), and in advance by phone (U.S.) and email.

Russell Field on Klunkerz: “From the moment I started watching Klunkerz, I realized that Billy Savage has done for the mountain bike what Dogtown and Z-Boys did for the skateboard. We meet a bunch of guys and girls who didn’t set out to change the world or revolutionize the cycling industry. They were out to have a good time, do things that hadn’t been done before, enjoy the hills of Marin County, partying with their friends. And there they were, careening down mountains on bikes meant for suburban asphalt. When the bikes broke, they fixed them with whatever parts they had. There wasn’t money for new bikes and there weren’t bikes meant to be used in this way. Until these people invented them. And in the process, they created what is now called mountain biking, an Olympic sport and a million-dollar industry. And Klunkerz profiles all these folks, many of whom are still in Marin leading unassuming lives, while others, like Gary Fisher, have their names on the bike I’ll be riding to the Innis Town Hall to watch Klunkerz. ”

Screeners are available upon request by media. Other directors/participants will also be available during the festival.